Safety setback for tragic father

A MAN whose wife and two children died after their car skidded on an oil patch has faced a major setback as he campaigns to make mobile cranes safer on roads.

Ann Copeland, 45, and daughters Ciara, seven, and Niamh, ten, from Johnshaven, died after their car span out of control on the main A92 in Aberdeenshire in 2008.

Barry Copeland has been campaigning for tougher road safety laws since the death of his wife and daughters.

At a fatal accident inquiry, Sheriff Kenneth Stewart called for the UK government to remove the current MoT exemption for mobile cranes as a “matter of urgency”, but the changes could take years to be approved.